Alexandria, November 28, 2019
Photo: unian.net
Epiphany Dumenko, the head of the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” is a man of a “sacrificial heart” and will surely contribute to Orthodox unity in Ukraine, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria believes.
On November 8, Pat. Theodoros made the sudden and unexpected decision to commemorate Dumenko in the Divine Liturgy as a primate of a Local Orthodox Church. Since then he also wrote a congratulatory letter to Dumenko, the full text of which is published on the official website of the OCU.
After his election and enthronement as primate in January, Epiphany sent irenic letters to all the primates of the Local Churches. Nearly a year later, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and Pat. Theodoros responded to this letter, expressing their full recognition of the OCU.
“We received the brotherly letters of your beloved Beatitude with great pleasure, from which we learned of your election and enthronement to the illustrious Throne of the Church of Kiev and All Ukraine, which just received autocephaly,” Pat. Theodoros writes, nearly a year after receiving the letters.
Dumenko is “a very dear and welcome brother and concelebrant of our Humility,” whom Pat. Theodoros “firmly kisses festively congratulates with great pleasure.” He sincerely congratulates Dumenko “with delighted heart and a kiss on Christ … “on his worthy election.”
“Dedicated to thoughts of Your Beatitude on the establishment of the unity and cooperation of the holy Orthodox Churches of the world in these difficult times, we express with our whole soul our approval, and we declared that we are doing everything guided by the bonds of love, in unity and cooperation with the Churches, propagating the word of the will of the Lord,” Pat. Theodoros writes.
He also assured the schismatic head that he knows about his “sacrificial heart,” and is convinced that Dumenko’s ministry will “contribute as much as possible to the unity of the fullness of the Church of Ukraine and fraternal relations in Christ of all Christians living in your Church sphere.”
Thus, Pat. Theodoros wished Dumenko: “May the Heavenly Creator of the Church give Your beloved Beatitude good health and longevity, bless your deeds and crown with success your efforts in the implementation of your glorious pastorate.”
